Skip to content 
The trial and subsequent appeal of those involved in the 2024 coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have garnered international attention, as they highlight not only the political instability within the country but also the broader implications for justice, human rights, and diplomatic relations.
It Began In May
In May 2024, Christian Malanga, a Congolese opposition figure living in exile, led a coup attempt to overthrow President Félix Tshisekedi’s government. Congolese security forces swiftly foiled the coup, resulting in several deaths, including Malanga, and the arrest of dozens of individuals. Among those arrested were three American nationals: Marcel Malanga (Christian Malanga’s son), Tyler Thompson Jr., and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun. The involvement of these foreigners, especially the Americans, introduced an international dimension to the case and raised concerns about how they became implicated in such a violent political act.
And By September It Ended
In September 2024, a Congolese military court sentenced 37 defendants, including three Americans, to death after convicting them of charges like terrorism, criminal association, and attempted coup. The court’s decision to impose the death penalty, recently reinstated after a more than two-decade moratorium, sparked significant controversy. Defense lawyers have argued that the court denied the defendants fair legal processes and failed to properly inform them of their rights during the investigation.
Additionally, questions have been raised about the extent to which some of the accused were coerced or misled into participating in the coup. The appeal process now serves as a critical test for the DRC’s judicial system, as well as a focal point for diplomatic negotiations, as the families of the convicted Americans push for their release and the global community watches closely to see how the situation unfolds.
Who Is Christian Malanga
The 2024 coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was led by Christian Malanga, a controversial and enigmatic figure with a long history of political activism and military involvement. Malanga was originally from the DRC but had spent many years in exile, living in both the United States and Europe. His role as the leader of the coup came as no surprise to those familiar with his long-standing opposition to the government of President Félix Tshisekedi and his broader ambitions for power in the DRC.
How He Became A Leader Of The Coup
Christian Malanga followed an intriguing and unconventional path to becoming a coup leader. In the late 1990s, he emigrated from the DRC to the United States, where many initially believed he had become a naturalized citizen. He worked as a car salesman in Utah and built a modest life in America. However, his ambitions extended far beyond his civilian life. In 2010, Malanga founded the United Congolese Party, an opposition group based in the U.S. He presented himself as the leader of the “New Zaire Government in Exile,” a government he declared in Belgium in 2017, evoking the era of Mobutu Sese Seko, the former dictator of the DRC, when the country was known as Zaire.
Not His First Coup
Malanga participated in a failed coup attempt in 2011, which pushed him further into exile. Despite this failure, he built a loyal network of followers who shared his vision for regime change in the DRC. He portrayed himself as a revolutionary leader fighting against the corruption and inefficiency he perceived in Tshisekedi’s government. His followers, a mix of Congolese nationals and foreign supporters, were drawn into his plans through promises of political power, wealth, or ideological conviction.
The 2024 Coup Was His Last
The 2024 coup, however, proved to be the final chapter in Malanga’s tumultuous career. He led a group of armed men in a brazen attack on the Palais de la Nation and the residence of Economy Minister Vital Kamerhe in Kinshasa, declaring in a livestream video that President Tshisekedi was “out” and calling for regime change. Malanga’s coup was marked by the use of the Zairean flag, a symbolic nod to the Mobutu era, and some of his men were even seen with patches of the U.S. flag, further complicating the narrative of foreign involvement.
The republican guard killed Malanga during the fighting as he resisted arrest. Authorities arrested his son, Marcel Malanga, and several foreign nationals, including Americans and Canadians, in connection with the coup, and they are facing severe legal repercussions. Malanga’s death marked the end of his decades-long struggle to seize power in the DRC, but his legacy as a figure who sought to bring radical change to the country, however controversial, remains etched in the nation’s tumultuous political history.
The Victims Of The Coup
The 2024 coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) resulted in several casualties, including both security forces and members of the group attempting the overthrow of President Félix Tshisekedi. Among the dead were two Congolese police officers, who were guarding the residence of Vital Kamerhe, the country’s Economy Minister and a key political ally of Tshisekedi. Heavily armed attackers, led by coup orchestrator Christian Malanga, killed these officers in the initial clashes when they stormed Kamerhe’s home in Kinshasa in an attempt to destabilize the government.
Loss Of Security Personal
During the fighting, the republican guard shot and killed Christian Malanga, the leader of the coup, along with four other coup plotters. His death marked the end of his audacious attempt to overthrow Tshisekedi’s government, a plan that involved a small group of armed men trying to seize key government buildings in Kinshasa, including the Palais de la Nation.
Intense Gun Firing
During the fighting, the republican guard shot and killed Christian Malanga, the leader of the coup, along with four other coup plotters. The Republican Guard shot and killed Malanga, a former Congolese military officer and opposition figure who had been living in exile in the United States, while he was resisting arrest. The death of Malanga was a significant blow to the coup plotters, as he had been the driving force behind the operation, motivated by a desire to see the return of the Mobutu-era Zaire government.
Casualties amongst Civilians
The fighting also caused injuries to several civilians in both Kinshasa and Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of the Congo, which sits across the Congo River. One shell fired during the skirmishes in Kinshasa landed in Brazzaville, injuring residents and adding an international dimension to the violence. The casualties on both sides reflected the violent and chaotic nature of the coup attempt, which unfolded in the early hours of May 19, 2024.
The deaths of the police officers, Malanga, and his associates underscore the tragic consequences of political instability in the DRC. Authorities have not fully disclosed the exact identities of all the individuals killed during the coup. The coup, though swiftly suppressed, left a lasting mark on the nation, highlighting the deep political divisions and the lengths to which opposition forces were willing to go to challenge the Tshisekedi government.
The Trial
A military court in Kinshasa marked the trial of those involved in the 2024 coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with a significant legal outcome by sentencing 37 defendants, including three American nationals, to death. Authorities charged these individuals with terrorism, murder, criminal association, and illegal possession of weapons following their failed attempt to overthrow President Félix Tshisekedi’s government. The court held the proceedings in an open-air military setting, and the harsh sentences underscored how seriously the Congolese authorities viewed the coup.
Marcel Malanga
Security forces killed coup leader Christian Malanga during the uprising, but they captured his son, Marcel Malanga, along with two other Americans—Tyler Thompson Jr. and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun—who then faced trial. Reportedly, deceptive circumstances lured both Marcel and Thompson, aged 21, into the plot. In court, Marcel testified that his father threatened to kill him and Thompson if they refused to participate in the coup. Thompson, a high school friend of Marcel, believed he was on a vacation or service trip to Africa to build wells
Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun
Authorities charged and convicted Zalman-Polun, a 36-year-old business associate of Christian Malanga. He knew the elder Malanga through a gold mining company and reportedly participated in the coup’s planning stages. Throughout the trial, Zalman-Polun and the other foreigners maintained their innocence, with defense lawyers arguing that they were coerced into the coup and had little understanding of its true objectives.
Hoping To Appeal The Verdicts
The defense lawyer for the six foreign nationals stated that they would appeal the verdicts. This trial occurred shortly after the DRC reinstated the death penalty, a policy change that had been frozen for over two decades. With the death sentence now legally binding, those convicted face execution by firing squad if the appeals process does not overturn the judgment.
The defense lawyers representing the individuals convicted in the 2024 coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have been actively appealing the death sentences handed down to 37 defendants, including three Americans.
Lack Of Interpreters
Richard Bondo, leading the defense, raises multiple concerns about the trial’s fairness and the circumstances surrounding the convictions. He points out several procedural issues, including the lack of adequate interpreters during the investigation, which, he argues, compromised the rights of the foreign defendants. The defense team also questions the legitimacy of the death penalty’s reinstatement in the DRC, which authorities lifted earlier in 2024 after a more than two-decade-long moratorium.
They Argue That Someone Misled Or Coerced Them
One of the key arguments in the defense’s appeal is that many of the defendants, including the Americans, were misled or coerced into participating in the coup. Marcel Malanga, the son of coup leader Christian Malanga, testified that his father had threatened to kill him and his friend, Tyler Thompson, if they did not comply with his plans. Thompson’s family has been particularly vocal in their defense, maintaining that he had no knowledge of the coup or its political implications. They claim he believed he was on a vacation with his high school friend Marcel Malanga and had no intention of becoming involved in any political activities.
Criticized The Sentencing
In addition to questioning the procedural fairness of the trial, the defense has also criticized the harshness of the sentences. All 37 defendants were sentenced to death, despite some being only peripherally involved or having been coerced. Bondo has announced plans to appeal these verdicts, challenging both the legal basis for the death penalty’s reimplementation and the fairness of the trial itself.
The U.S. Concerned For The Americans
The appeal comes at a critical time, as international attention on the case has been growing. While the U.S. State Department has acknowledged the verdicts, it has not declared the three Americans wrongfully detained, making it unlikely that diplomatic efforts will be made for their release. Nonetheless, the families of the Americans, particularly those of Thompson and Marcel Malanga, are pushing for more action from U.S. officials. Utah senators Mitt Romney and Mike Lee have expressed concern and are working with the State Department to receive updates, but as of now, the legal process in the DRC is the primary avenue for challenging the verdicts.
The defense’s appeal is based on arguments around procedural injustice, the inadequate provision of legal support for the foreigners, and the moral and legal appropriateness of reintroducing the death penalty. The outcome of the appeal will be critical not only for those sentenced but also for the broader human rights and judicial landscape in the DRC.
Need Help? Call Us Now!
Do not forget that when you or anyone you know is facing a criminal charge, you have us, the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, by your side to help you build the best defense case for you. We will work and be in your best interest for you and we will obtain the best possible outcome that can benefit you.
Our team is here to explain your trial, guiding you through the criminal justice process with clarity and support every step of the way. If you’re navigating the complexities of criminal charges and the court system seems daunting, reach out.
Therefore, do not hesitate to call us if you find yourself or someone you know that is facing criminal charges unsure about the court system. We will work with you to give you the best type of defense that can help you solve your case. It is vital to have someone explain the result of the charge to you and guide you in the best possible way.
Here at the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, our professional and knowledgeable criminal law attorneys build a defense case that suits your needs, aiming for the best possible outcome to benefit you.
At the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, we offer a free consultation at your convenience. You can schedule your appointment via Zoom, Google Meet, email, or in person. We provide comprehensive advice and information to help you achieve the best possible result in your case.
Call us now at (281) 810-9760.
Other Related Articles
Understanding Different Degrees Of Homicide Charges
An Emerging Case On The FBI Informant’s Allegations
The Indian Child Welfare Act Examined
A Chilling Tale of Unsolved Murders
Supporting Your Child’s Religious Faith Post-Divorce: Legal Perspectives and Solutions
Launching At His Girlfriend Leads To Amputation
FAQs on the 2024 Congo Coup Attempt
Select a question from the dropdown below to reveal the answer:
